Van Eyck died on this day in 1441. This painting might be a self portrait. He uses light and shade in a subtle and dramatic way. The sitter seems to emerge from darkness, his face and headdress modelled by the light that falls from the left: http://bit.ly/1eCnlTH

A favourite in our Sainsbury Wing - Jan van Eyck's 'The Arnolfini Portrait': http://bit.ly/1CasEnw
If you look closely, you can see an ornate Latin signature from the artist above the mirror. The text translates as "Jan van Eyck was here 1434".